Rebecca and Stephanie Brewer's rise to the varsity volleyball team at Lee High School was done together.

The identical twins began playing together when they were about 8 years old at the YMCA, and then continued to play the sport together at Abell Junior High.

Then in high school, the two were on the same team as freshman and sophomores. Then came the identical twins' junior years.

While their parents were a little concerned that the two might be split up on different teams, Rebecca and Stephanie were quietly confident they would play on the same team -- the two identical twins just weren't entirely expecting to be playing on the varsity.

"We had hoped to because we were on the same level," Stephanie said of the two moving up to the varsity squad as juniors.

Both were named to the team, and now a year later with the two being seniors even their parents were a little surprised that the two have been able to stay together through their careers. But they also realized that making the varsity team together is typical for these two sisters.

They play the same position, their styles of play are very similar and the two sisters are hardly ever apart, and the two are even serving as student council president (Stephanie) and vice president (Rebecca) at Lee this coming school year.

The twins have a connection that only they can describe, and one that those that know them best have come to expect from them over the years.

"Their personalities are so close, and their interests are so close," said their mother Vickie. "It's just natural."

The pair are two of 10 seniors on the Lee roster this season, and more interesting is the fact that the Brewers are one of three sets of twins in the Lee volleyball program this fall.

Needless to say it's gotten a little easier for coach Diane Sandoval and her staff to tell the Brewers apart as Sandoval said she used to tell them apart by their different shoe laces.

As players, though, Sandoval said they are hard workers and quiet leaders, and the two have developed a few different skills as Stephanie can set, while Rebecca is more of a front line player. But other than those characteristics they are nearly the same player.

"They are literally advancing at the same rate and one is not surpassing the other," Sandoval said. "One of them got more playing time than the other (last season), but you could see they would take care of each other. Both work really hard, and they always warm up together in everything. Even when I say switch partners, they will switch partners and end up back together again."

It's that connection that allowed the two to lean on each other during their first year of varsity competition a year ago, and help each other during the season.

"We'd kind of like coach each other on things we need to work on if it was something we saw," Rebecca said. "

Stephanie added: "If I'm on the bench, I can see more than she can on the court, and it can help her."

The Brewer's father, Dennis, said he was always concerned the farther they advanced in high school that they might be split up and said he and Vickey were preparing for that occasion, if it occurred. But it didn't and Dennis said it's been fun watching the pair play together over the years.

"It can be difficult at times, and it can be a little stressful as a parent," Dennis said. "But overall, it's very enjoyable, and we are going to miss it next year for sure. It's been fun to see their progress over the years."

The two are ready to be senior leaders on a team with seven of them, and want to help lead Lee back to the playoffs. But the biggest thing is that they get to play together for one more year.